ON SATURDAY, A gunman burst into a busy synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire on those worshiping within.
Alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, killed 11 parishioners and injured six more at the Tree of Life Congregation before being taken into custody.
Hours after what has been labeled the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history, Donald Trump held a rally in Indiana where Pharrell Williams’ 2013 track ‘Happy’ was played.
While Trump condemned the actions of the gunman at the rally, the use of Pharrell’s song at that same event did not escape the attention of the artist.
In a letter which was written to The President of the United States on behalf on Pharrell in the wake of the rally, Trump was forbidden from using his music in future.
According to The Guardian, Pharrell’s attorney, Howard King, made the artist’s position clear:
Pharrell has not, and will not, grant you permission to publicly perform or otherwise broadcast or disseminate any of his music.
Making reference to the timing of Trump’s use of ‘Happy’, King continued:
On the day of the mass murder of 11 human beings at the hands of a deranged ‘nationalist’, you played his song Happy to a crowd at a political event in Indiana.
“There was nothing ‘happy’ about the tragedy inflicted upon our country on Saturday and no permission was granted for your use of this song for this purpose,” the letter read.
Pharrell is just one of many artists who have forbidden the President from using their music at his events.
